The Australian Film Institute (AFI) will launch an ‘Australian Academy’ in order to improve national and international recognition of Australia’s screen practitioners.
Consultations over the past month resulted in key organisations and 84 per cent of screen industry members surveyed supporting the core principals of the Academy, the AFI said.
AFI chief executive Damian Trewhella said the Australian Academy will draw upon some of the well recognised and understood elements of the AMPAS (USA) and BAFTA (UK) models.
“By drawing on international models, we anticipate greater recognition both here and abroad for Australia’s most talented screen practitioners," he said in a statement. "We envisage that this will lead to greater opportunities for those working in the industry, as well as greater audience recognition and connection with Australian screen content.”
The Academy, which is yet to be named, will be comprised of accredited professional members only. The AFI would retain its name and all past AFI Awards nominees and winners will be recognised under the new Academy.
The Academy will establish an “Honorary Council” consisting of key industry members, including the crafts and guilds. It will explore new ways to identify and recognise excellence in each industry craft, as well as ways to increase the national and international prestige of Australia’s film and television awards.
AFI chairman Alan Finney said a key driver behind the proposed Academy and Honorary Council is a desire to be inclusive of and to better represent all screen professions.
"Ultimately we want to foster a community which connects those working within the industry, but which also connects our screen enthusiast public with the industry and the fantastic content being creating.”
The AFI is still exploring ways in which the industry can better support students and early career industry professionals and greater inclusion of new media within the industry.